A lentil stuffed marrow:

I get asked about lentils a lot, I love them and find endless things to do with them.  When I was at school in England the kitchen always made me amazing stuffed vegetables and I guess unlike most school food this is one that has stuck!

This lentil filling works just as well with pumpkins.

Small brown or green lentil-puy work well-200g

A medium sized marrow-or pumpkin

Olive oil

Shallots-2 large, or an onion

Garlic-2 large cloves

Tomatoes-6 medium

Chili sauce-harissa or a smoky chipotle work well

2 handfuls of chard or spinach

grated parmesan-2 tablespoons-optional

Set the oven at 180 degrees or gas mark 4.  Bring a pan of water to the boil in which to cook the lentils.  Add them to the water and leave to simmer, until they are tender-soft rather than al dente.

Cut the marrow in half length ways but do not peel it.  Scoop out the core and put both halves into a roasting tin, then brush with olive oil and put in the preheated oven.  Leave the marrow until tender and translucent–about 20 minutes-then remove from the oven.

Meanwhile peel and slice the shallots and garlic and soften them in a saucepan with about 3 tbsp of olive oil.  Chop the tomatoes-if they have tough skins peel them by dunking them in into boiling water then peel off the skin, and add them to the pan.  Let them cook a while, till they are soft and mushy, the stir in our chili sauce, a teaspoon or two is enough for me!  The amounts depends on what chili sauce you have and how hot you want your lentils to be.   Pour in about a teacup of water, just enough to make a slushy sauce and be generous with the salt and black pepper.

Drain the cooked lentils, then stir them into the onion and chili sauce.  Tear the spinach or chard leaves into small pieces and stir them into the lentils.  Bring to the boil, then cover and leave to simmer on a low heat till the greens are silky soft.  Spoon the lentil mixture into the hollows in the marrow, scatter with the parmesan-if using-cover with foil and bake for twenty minutes.